Milkshakes! The Cold, Delicious Facts

When you go out with friends to eat, it's nice to have a good conversation. Nothing makes for a better conversation than useless, trivial knowledge. So next time you go out for some fast food, order a milkshake and give your friends a lesson about your tasty drink.

Milkshakes were first referred to in print in 1885, and at that time they were made with a whisky. (Really!) In the early 1900s, milkshakes were made as an eggnog style drink for invalids and children.

There is no way of knowing who invented the milkshake, or where it was invented. Today, if you ordered a milkshake in the United Kingdom, you would get a tasty treat made with milk and flavoring... and you would probably eat it with a spoon.

This style of milkshake may be very similar to the Frosty offered at Wendy's. In much of the United States and Canada, milk shakes are made with milk, flavoring, and ice cream. If you wanted the same in the United Kingdom, you would have to ask for a 'thick shake'.

When you think of a milkshake, you typically think of your basic Strawberry, Vanilla, Chocolate, and 'Special Flavor' offered at your favorite fast food place. Although these are the most common flavors you find, there are places that offer more complex flavors.

In Australia the most common flavors are Chocolate, Strawberry, Vanilla, Caramel, Banana, Lime, and Koala Bear. (Okay, so I'm lying about the Koala Bear. The rest is true.) Wishing for more of a variety here in the United States?

Pizza Wings Steaks & Things (a small restaurant located in Hamilton, NJ) is almost famous for their wide variety of milkshake flavors. They offer Black Forest Cheesecake, Chocolate Root Beer, Bubblegum Grape, Chocolate Cherry Coke, and Banana Marshmallow just to list a few. Sound good?

Another restaurant, located in several states, offers milkshake flavors such as Peanut Butter & Jelly, S'mores, and Kiwi & Pineapple. Sound like these milkshake flavors are getting weirder?

Milkshake flavors can vary from dessert delicious (Pumpkin Pie for example) to some flavors that sound too risky to try (Avocado & Pineapple make for an absurd combination.) Still, when you think of a milkshake, your first mental image will most likely be an icy chocolate or vanilla or strawberry treat to wash down a cheeseburger and fries with.

Considering those milkshakes, they have changed dramatically over the past few decades. Using McDonald's as an example, their milkshakes in the 1950's were made with vanilla ice cream, milk, ½ & ½ , and extract or Nestle Quik (depending on the flavor.) This changed in the 1970's.

Now, McDonald's milkshakes are made with a 'dairy mix' containing 'modified milk ingredients' (yum!), numerous variables of sugar, several 'scientific sounding ingredients' as well as the word 'flavoring'. Still craving a milkshake?

You can make your own milkshake at home, and control what goes into it, including the 'flavoring'. An easy recipe to follow is: one part milk, one part ice cream, and then you can add whatever you think sounds good! Bananas, chocolate or strawberry syrup, or you can even be daring and try the avocado & pineapple milkshake previously mentioned!

Keep in mind that if you get stoned and forget one of the 3 basic ingredients, ice cream, you will not be drinking a milkshake. If you forget ice cream, you will be drinking a smoothie. Be careful!

Although restaurants use machines that are specifically designed to blend milkshakes, you can make your milkshake in a blender. Milkshakes can be shaken, but are never stirred.

Milkshakes made with malted milk are referred to as a malt. Although there is no way of knowing who invented the milkshake (there is quite a controversy over this claim), Walgreens claims to have invented the malt in 1922.

In the early 1900s, milkshakes were enjoyed at drugstore soda fountains. (McDonald' didn't exist at this time.) In the early 2000's, most people don't even know what a 'drugstore soda fountain' is.

At this time, if you're up for a dare, there are no current records held for the most number of milkshakes drank in one sitting. If you crave your name in the headlines (of local newspapers at least) just remember you have a number of flavors to make this easier.

Finally, although not yet recognized by Hallmark, June 20^th is known (by who?) as Vanilla Milkshake Day. I wouldn't recommend asking your boss for the day off to celebrate a holiday such as this. I would recommend taking your friends out for a Vanilla Milkshake so you may bore them with your extensive milkshake knowledge.